Dice Bag

Gen Con this week. I am super excited. So much I thought I would celebrate by making myself a new dice bag. Squee!



This idea came from a knitted project someone posted on Ravelry. I opted to sew something similar but I love her idea.

Things that make me go grrr!

A friend recently shared this article with me. I can't even begin to tell you exceedingly frustrated I am by this sort of thing. It is a perfect example of what is wrong with body image in our culture.

Everyday we are given conflicting viewpoints: you should be a size 0 and spend 24 hours a day in a gym to be valuable, but you also deserve the right to eat whatever you want without consequences. And don't worry about dieting. There is a quick-fix fool-proof no fail diet that will guarantee you can eat whatever you want and still lose weight. Only big fat losers are unsuccessful...and it goes on ad nauseum.

I am obese. And no not the whiny "I need to lose 5 vanity pounds" overweight but clinically obese. I have struggled with my weight since I was a kid and have been seeing nutritionists and counselors since that time. I take responsibility for my choices, and I do not blame anyone for the end result of those choices. I am, however, frustrated to no end by articles like the above that make people feel guilty for trying to make improvements in their overall health picture.

Yes, I agree that there are a lot of "hidden" factors in what makes foods go from healthy to not. However, this article with it's snide condescending tone completely misses the mark on what could have been an informative reading. Rather then scaring people by associating iced tea with obesity, I believe it would be far more helpful to show people how to look at their food choices and be aware that even when one thinks they are eating healthy, they may be missing some of the finer details.

I am not saying the writers aren't correct. Eating a cucumber = good. Eating a cucumber with mayo = less good. That doesn't mean that this is the reason someone is obese. People need to be aware of what they are eating. One of the reasons that weight loss regimens fail is because people become defeated. They work really hard and either show no progress or stall. How many people read that article in the midst of making new and healthy lifestyle choices and gave up because they felt that there was just no point; no matter what they, do they are wrong?

Yes, covering your granola with sugar and oil and chocolate and other goo increases calorie load. Not accounting for that change can mean that a person may go over their calorie requirements for the day and not burn off some of those extra calories. Those non-utilized calories may get stored in the body. But, that doesn't mean one shouldn't eat granola. It is high in fiber which is good for your colon and it is more filling because it takes more time for the body to digest. The addition of fresh/dried fruit allows for more nutrients and adding milk or soymilk will give one the extra protein to get through to the next meal. It is not a bad choice. You just have to read the labels on the box of granola to see what else you are getting. Not all granolas are made the same. And if you can't find one that meets your dietary needs, make your own. It is actually really easy and there are some great recipes. A lot of commercial brands add the extra fat/sweeteners to make it taste better because lets face it, fat and sugar taste good but that doesn't mean granola can't taste good without them.


Read labels I guess is what I want to say. And be honest with yourself. Calories are not inherently evil. And any nutritionist will tell you that your body needs some fat in order to maintain itself (though probably not in the quantities we consume it in this country). Yes, some health foods stop being healthy when you add other flavorings or change how they are processed. I don't think that means that people should stop eating dried fruit because there are more calories per volume then fresh fruit. (By the way who eats a cup of raisins...that is just icky. There is a reason they are sold in little boxes). Even with the higher sugar content...dried fruit is still better for you then fried potatoes.

There is no perfect wonder food that will give you all of your bodies daily nutrition requirements and not contribute to your calorie count for the day. Be smart about your nutrition. One of the things I am working on right now is trying to break down the barriers created by years of body image contradictions so that I can figure out what is causing me to eat the way I do. It is a hard process. This type of thing doesn't help.

Chicago

Our first honeymoon, aside from spending time with my spouse, was sort of disappointing due to a variety of factors. It will be a while before we will be able to afford the trip to Greece we would like to take; however, we decided to try a second attempt and take a long weekend in Chicago. We were heading there for a LARP over Memorial Day weekend and decided to combine the two.

While preparing itineraries for a conference that was being held in Chicago a year or so ago, I stumbled across a website for a museum. I have been wanting to visit the International Museum of Surgical Science since I came across it. This seemed like an ideal time because they had a special exhibit, similar to the more well-known "Body Works" exhibits displayed across the country, that incorporated preserved human tissue in among the regular information. I have to say it really enhanced the information and education the museum provided. While the quality of the preservation was not good as other examples, it was more closely tied to what I wanted from that type of exhibit...education. Anyway, there were a lot of great displays, and it was really rewarding to see things I encounter at work. I also really enjoyed the apothecary shop display they had and the cross-sections linked to the x-ray technology really enhanced the information. As an added bonus, the museum is housed in a historic house/mansion so there were some neat little nooks and crannies including a bathroom hidden in the wall.



Following the IMSS, we went to the Adler Planetarium. I have never been before. The building was beautiful and it was so great to be on the lake during a storm with all of those windows. My brain was a little overloaded at that point in time from my first museum trip so we were much more leisurely. I saw some beautiful old telescopes but most of our educational time involved watching some of their shows. There are some great interactive events for kids like remote control simulation with a "Mars Rover" and crater formation. I think this is definitely a place I would like to go to with my kids someday. We didn't make the aquarium, but I am looking forward to going back for that purpose.



Chicago is an interesting city. There are places of absolute beauty with amazing architecture and installments and in the same panorama you get some of the ugliest ill-kept landscapes I have seen. There is a lot of juxtaposition.

We got to do one of my favorite things on this trip...camping out in our hotel room, watching TV in bed. It was great to get some downtime during this trip to watch bad cable snuggled up in bed. It is such a decadent luxury.

Sunday afternoon we went to a friend's house to participate in a LARP. This is my third LARP experience. I have to say while I have long been a geek, it wasn't until I found a joy for LARPS that I really felt like a gamer-geek. Most of my fandoms don't have a community outlet (at least not collectively). LARPing however usually requires other people.

This LARP had a lot of elements. In fact there were a lot of good story lines and a number of ways in which the game could be altered based upon the choices the character made. This was both good and bad. I love storytelling which is what I think LARPs do better then RPGs and there were definitely a lot of stories. However, it was occasionally frustrating to try to accomplish my character's goals when they depended on others who decided they wanted to play a different game. The game was certainly not what I expected. I had a good time overall; I definitely learned some things about LARPs.

UW Service Day

In an effort to save funds and jobs, the prior administration instituted two academic years of mandatory furlough time. We are reaching the end of that period and the final mandatory day for some of the campus offices was May 17.

Some employees offered to donate their unpaid furlough time by assisting with projects in the community. There was a wide variety of services to participate in and I was honored to be a part of it. One of the great things about this was the questions I got when people saw my t-shirt. Given everything that has been going on politically in our state, it was nice to be part of a positive force.

March/April Updates and Other Things

Sorry for the generally lame blog titles. Given that I am approaching once a month posts this seems a fitting theme for my titles. And as this is an update, things may ramble and jump around a bit as I try to touch on all the things I wanted to share.

I have vaguely eluded to the fact that my work life has sort of sucked as of late. In general I like my job and my bosses. However, due to a series of unfortunate coincidences I have been doing the job of two people by myself since mid-December (though I am willing to argue almost 9 months but feel somewhat unkind in doing so). Anyway, while the over time has been awesome, the lack of personal time is making for a crabby and generally unhappy me. Projects have been accumulating around the house at an alarming rate and my ability to care about them has dropped progressively. I know this sounds angry and unpleasant and sort of defeatist but that is how I am feeling...defeated. It will improve I know and there is light at the end of this tunnel. It is just a slow process getting there.

To combat all of the general ickyness and malaise, I have been taking what spare time I can and pouring it into string. I finished the lovely leaves and fishies scarf. I am currently blocking it. I am very bad at blocking. There will be more pictures once it is blocked and the weather improves enough that I feel safe taking it outside.



I also started the Pretty as a Peacock shawl. I don't like lace in general. I just think it looks too fussy. Some of it can be beautiful but most of it just isn't my style. But this shawl is so indescribably beautiful. I know myself however and did not want to pay the expense of a project I would never finish. The deal was I had to finish the leaves/fishie scarf first before I was allowed to purchase the materials for and start the peacock shawl. Having accomplished the first task I decided I deserved the chance to play with the shawl. It is slow going and a bit more complex then I may be ready for but the silk I found is so perfect and the pattern is just lovely. I am excited. My goal is to have it done by halloween. wish me luck!



Above is my progress thus far. This was taken during one of my recent visits to Sow's Ear with two amazing ladies for a day full of tea and giggles and string and general awesomeness. The little sheep in the picture is Simon but there will be more about him during another post.


I have also been reading a great deal. Mostly just murder mysteries which I know some people consider fluff, but I have to say I don't really care. I grew up reading mysteries and have re-discovered my joy for them as an adult. And, I honestly feel that even though the writing is not always superb and the plot sometimes predictable, I have learned more from the time I have spent with mysteries then I ever did from the agonizingly painful process of the steady reading that comes from classical literature. Don't get me wrong, there is some truly brilliant classical literature out there (and really in any genre if you look hard enough), but so much of it is just depressing. My brain enjoys the plot dissection that comes with a good (or even a bad) murder mystery.

That said, I am not sure I liked the book "Virals" by Kathy Reichs. It was a foray into young adult fiction. The book was okay I guess. I think my disappointment is more that I come to expect something different from her then what this delivered. I sometimes wonder if I might have liked it better if she had used a different pen name.

I am still continuing my journey through young adult fiction. I did really enjoy the book "Revolution"...up to a point. At first I was uncertain where the author was taking me, and then as things developed I was really excited to take that journey with her. Things got a little weird towards the end though and I am not sure I was able to follow. I think I am interested enough in the authors style though to try some of her other novels.

Next up on my reading list: "The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake". Honestly, I picked up the book because of the title alone. I am not sure where the the book is going to go but I am intrigued.

I had a lovely conversation about the books I loved as a child with my workout buddy last night. I cannot begin to tell you how much I love talking about books with other people. We talked about shared favorites and why we love them. We talk about the fear of re-reading books we loved as a child in case we no longer enjoyed them. And we talked about that amazing feeling when the book still touches your heart.

One of my favorite authors, Neil Gaiman, recently posted a blog regarding his friendship with the late Diana Wynne Jones (another amazing writer). Mr. Gaiman is pretty amazing in his own right and to hear him talk about his respect/admiration for her gave me a little more faith in humanity. One of that parts of the post that has stayed with me was a quote of hers: "Children are much more careful readers than adults," she'd say. "You don't have to repeat everything for children. You do with adults, because they aren't paying full attention." I certainly agree. I am consistently frustrated when I read a series how each book has to beat the reader over the head with the back story found in prior books. I am also a little worried that perhaps my distance from childhood is why I could not follow some of the other authors I have been reading lately. I am becoming too much of an adult. I find this very sad.

Today was a day for getting things done though. I cleaned out my desk (which took some doing), cleaned all the winter mud from the front foyer, got a haircut (I was rather shaggy, got some laundry done, and did a little reading. I wanted to knit a row or two of my shawl though and hopefully I can catch up with some friends after that.

Salt-Crusted Chicken

I have long been a fan of the Chocolate and Zucchini blog. I love her style of writing and her general outlook on the world. Her culinary tastes are different than mine, but I have appreciated and even occasionally enjoyed the new things food doors she has opened up for me.

When I saw it, I couldn't wait to try the recipe she shared for Salt-Crusted Chicken. I had a real struggle with the dough on this one. It does not want to stay together so mine did not come out nearly as beautiful as hers. The chicken however came out so moist and tender and flavorful. I am not sure I want to try the salt-crust again mostly because it was messy and felt a little wasteful, but I definitely a convert to salt-brining (I have never tried it before). I am tempted to try the bread-crusted chicken she posted a few weeks later simply because the dough is then usable.

I also recently played with a kitchen toy I hadn't take the time to try out yet. I know that Alton Brown has long been a promoter of this gadget. We got one for our wedding and I just never took the time to mess with it. I cannot begin to tell you how sorry I am for not trying it sooner. I placed it in some chicken breasts I was baking, set the temp I want, and let it go. The alarm went off and the chicken was PERFECT! I have had GOOD but never PERFECT! Totally in love with this concept and very angry at myself for my laziness at not trying it before.

What is happening in the frozen north...

I try to keep this blog about books and knitting and cooking and things that delight me...the busy nothings that make life so satisfying for me. However, sometimes the real world does intrude, and things need to be said.

Our current Governor here in Wisconsin has introduced a bill that among other things will destroy the right of state employees to collectively bargain. There has been a lot of media swirling about since thousands of people have converged upon the capitol to voice their concerns over what this bill means to our lives and livelihoods.

I have opted not to protest. Not because I don't think it is important and not because I am not outraged. But because it is far too emotional of a thing for me to be able to handle. I am a little ashamed of myself in some respects or not taking a more active role, but I am only coping with everything by keeping busy in the little nothings of my day-to-day life. I am staying informed though, and I have contacted my representatives and written letters. I have been boycotting the stores that are supporting this bill and the parties responsible.

The thing about all of this that people outside of the state (and even those who aren't affected by it within our borders) need to understand is that state workers aren't upset about the money. All of the things they are taking away our unions have already offered. State workers (or at least those in my union) haven't had raises in 6 years and even accepted a 3% pay cut in mandated furlough time two years ago in place of a raise in order to protect our jobs. Many of the people in my department have second jobs to help make ends meet or are currently going to school part-time because they know that financially our jobs are not long term solutions for them or their families. I myself have a second job currently and plan to go back to school this fall.

I don't look for employment elsewhere because I really care about what I do. I also haven't taken any personal days to protest because that would negatively impact the people I work for and their patients. I understand that the economy has left shortfalls in our budget and that is going to impact me. I understand the need to tightened our belts even when there isn't a lot of slack left to tighten. And most of the protesters are in agreement.

The thing we are really upset over is the loss of collective bargaining. The loss of the ability to have our unions fight on our behalf. I am someone who doesn't think that unions are automatically awesome. Like any organized bureaucracy there are downsides/flaws with having unions. However, overall what they do is protect workers and their rights and give the "little guy" a voice. While I have occasionally had some frustrations with my union's representation, I think that overall it is important that it is in place, and I think that the reason I didn't have to worry about my job 2 years ago was because the unions were able to negotiate a fair exchange with the state to help protect our jobs.

Taking away our collective bargaining rights completely changes the game for a lot of us. I am not very good at explaining it so I will let Rachel Maddow in her infinite wisdom do the talking.

And for some background reading on what is really going on:

A Primer on the Wisconsin budget process

and editorial from my old home town about what these protests really mean.

I am proud of the peacefulness and the strength of protesters in Wisconsin. I am still apprehensive about the future, but I hope that this energizes the base in November. I know that I won't forget.